Separation
by Annie-chan
Summary: Dilandau and Celena have been given separate bodies, but will the overprotective Allen ever allow the love between his sister and the volatile albino to grow?


**Author's Notes:**  My first _Vision of Escaflowne_ fic! ^_^  I finished watching the last episode literally just a few hours ago, and I couldn't wait to write a fic about my fave character!  Actually, I don't know if that should be "character" or "characters", as Dilandau kinda counts as two people. ^_^;;  Anyway, I'm of the belief that Dilandau and Celena are two different people, two souls in one body, not just the younger Schezar sibling with an extreme case of split personalities.  I also think that they would make one adorable couple.  Yeah, some of you may argue that Dilandau is like Celena's brother, as he was created from her and they shared the same body, but the change from Celena to Dilandau (I think) is drastic enough that they can't be considered siblings.  Yeah, they look much alike, but my mom says I look like Renee Zellweger, but that doesn't make us sisters.  Anyway, no matter what _you_ think, _I_ think they'd be cute together.  So, this is a DxC fic.  Nyah. XP

_Vision of Escaflowne_ and all the characters therein are not mine, but the property of the show's creators.  I'd kill for a Dilandau plushy, though. ;_;

Separation By Annie-chan 

Dilandau sighed as he rolled over from his stomach to his back, shielding his eyes from the sun with an arm thrown over his face.  He was hiding again.  Hiding from that damned Allen Schezar and the guards that were supposed to be "keeping an eye on him".

_Babysitting me is more like it_, he sneered to no one.

It had been three years since the separation.  The base personality had switched from Dilandau to Celena immediately after the destruction of Zaibach, but Dilandau was by no means confined.  He fought it constantly.  Yes, he had willingly let Celena take over to escape his terror as he witnessed Jajuka's death, but that didn't mean he wanted to stay suppressed forever.  He was alone in there.  He didn't want to be alone.  It had been harder to surface than before, as he suspected that Allen had caused some kind of charm to be put on Celena to hold him in.  Only the sheer strength of Dilandau's will kept him from being imprisoned completely, but even then, the most he could do was turn her eyes from blue to red, and maybe change her voice to his.  At those times, Celena had had to stay in bed, as the conflict between Dilandau and whatever charm had been put on her was almost too much to bear otherwise.  More than once, Allen had rushed to her bedside after the guards had run to him in a panic because Celena was screaming, in Dilandau's voice, the names of the Dragon Slayers over and over again.

Finally, after three months of this, Princess Millerna, who had made Celena one of her ladies-in-waiting, had suggested to Allen that Celena and Dilandau somehow be separated.  Allen had at first refused, but after Millerna explaining to him many times that it was the only way for Celena to be at peace, the Knight Caeli finally relented.  Dilandau didn't know how it was done.  All he remembered was waking up to see Millerna bending over him as he lay in an infirmary bed.  Moments later, he and Celena had looked each other in the face for the first time.

Allen didn't trust Dilandau.  That was obvious the moment both he and Celena had recovered from whatever had been done to them enough to leave the infirmary.  The condition Allen had insisted upon to let them be separated was that he be given full charge over Dilandau, so he could make sure he didn't cause any mischief.  At Allen's behest, two guards were posted at all times outside Dilandau's door, and two more were posted inside the bedroom itself.  Celena insisted on being with Dilandau quite often, despite Allen's efforts to convincer her otherwise.  In fact, Celena preferred to take her meals not with the other ladies-in-waiting, but with Dilandau in the albino's room.  Millerna allowed this, as she knew Celena would have been very disappointed if the request to do so was refused.  Allen, however, was less than pleased.  He dismissed the guards and watched over them himself whenever this occurred, which was once a day at the very least, more often two or even three times.  Dilandau didn't appreciate this supervision, and made sure to cut Allen at least one nasty glare every time, when Celena wasn't looking, of course.

_That man has turned me into a prisoner in all but official status_, Dilandau thought sourly.  _Hell, he could probably order my execution with little or no rebuff._  For the past three years, he had had absolutely no privacy, except when he went into the bathroom, because of the constant watch Allen had imposed on Dilandau.  He ate at the same times every day without fail.  He had access to only certain areas of the Asturian palace, and every time he left his room, he had the four guards less than twenty feet behind him, watching his every move.  Every once in a while, he managed to give the guards the slip—it was no easy task—and he'd hide somewhere, merely for the purpose of not being monitored every minute of his life.  At the moment, he was on the roof, lying in a warm patch of sunlight, but many times, he found a place where he could watch Celena unhindered, without her overprotective older brother watching his every move to make sure he didn't try anything.  Dilandau had developed a fondness for the girl, and at first explained it by saying that their souls had been literally right next to each other for most of their lives.  Over the course of several months, however, he had realized that that fondness had turned into something more.

_I can never tell her_, he thought gloomily.  _I can't even get close to her without Allen being right there, and he would never understand._  He just knew that if Allen heard Dilandau was in love with his sister, all he'd think Dilandau had in mind was taking advantage of her…seducing her, or something even worse…

_That bastard!_ Dilandau almost screamed aloud, pounding his fist down on the roof.  _I'd never to _anything_ to her she didn't want in the first place!_  His eyes stung.  _Why wouldn't he understand…?  I would think that _he_ of all people would know what it's like to love someone you're not allowed to love…_

He shook his head violently.  Dilandau Albatou had never cried before, and he wasn't about to now.

Dilandau noted the position of the sun.  He had been hiding for quite some time now, and they had yet to find him.  He was on the highest part of the roof, after all.  He'd better get back to his room before they called Allen out to look for him, if they hadn't already.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He hadn't seen Celena all day.  He had eaten very little today, and though his stomach was growling, he didn't feel any hunger pangs.  He had tried to get away from the guards to see where she was and what she was doing, but they had been extra watchful today.  It was impossible, so he had returned to his room and brooded.  He had a feeling Allen was behind this.  If Celena couldn't come to eat with him for any reason, a maid usually came to tell him why.  He hadn't even gotten that, and he had to admit he was worried sick and royally hacked-off at the same time.

He lay back on his bed, bored.  He was bored most of the time these days.  Allen didn't want to give Dilandau opportunity to cause any trouble, so he wasn't allowed to do much at all.  Millerna had been gracious enough to convince Allen to let Dilandau have access to her library, but books gave only so much relief to idleness.  The only real joy he had was the time he spent with Celena, however tainted it was by Allen's constant presence.  There were the times when he watched her from afar, but he couldn't talk to her or hear her laugh.  He wanted to be able to spend time with her without being babysat by big brother.

_Fat chance of that_, he thought snidely.

The door banged open, startling him into sitting up.  He looked toward the door and felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as anger surged through his veins.

Allen ordered the guards out and stood at the side of Dilandau's bed, glaring down at him.  Dilandau returned the look just as vehemently.

Dilandau was the first to speak.  "Where's Celena?" he demanded.

The taller man's eyes narrowed.  "I've found reason to send her elsewhere for her meals today."

"Why?!" Dilandau almost shouted, an urge to rip out the other man's long blond hair making his fingers twitch.  "Why wasn't I at least notified?!"

Allen didn't speak for a moment, and when he did, it was through his teeth.  "The guards posted in this room last night tell me you were all but screaming in your sleep."

Dilandau swallowed.  He had had a dream about Celena last night…

"The guards tell me you were screaming Celena's name," Allen continued.  "Perhaps you could tell me why you're screaming my sister's name in your sleep?"

Dilandau remained silent.  Why should he tell this bastard what he wants to know?

"SPEAK!" Allen barked, "or you'll never see her again!"

The threat loosened Dilandau's lips.  "I had a dream about her last night…I was running…she was just in front of me, laughing, beckoning to me, but no matter what I did, I couldn't reach her.  Then…some black void sprang up and surrounded her.  I couldn't see her.  I was so scared she'd die, that I'd lose her…"  He passed his hand over his eyes, remembering clearly the terror he had felt last night.

His eyes snapped open at Allen's next question.  "You love her…don't you?"

Dilandau stared into his blue eyes, a fear of never seeing Celena again rising in his chest.  "Don't keep her away…" he practically hissed.  He sprang up from his sitting position and wrapped his fingers around Allen's throat.  "_Don't you DARE keep her away from me!_"

Allen grabbed Dilandau's wrist, wrenched his fingers open, and shoved him back down on the bed.  "I won't keep her from visiting you, as that is what she wants.  But," here he jabbed a finger into Dilandau's chest, "if I see you even _look_ at her the wrong way, you'll never see her again, and I'll personally make sure you never leave this room again for as long as you live."

Dilandau felt a rush of rage so potent at this declaration that he could only do one thing that didn't involve Allen dying a messy death and Dilandau getting thrown in the dungeons.  He spit in Allen's face.

The slap that was delivered to his left cheek was enough to turn his head and make his ears ring.  He lay there for several moments, waiting for his vision to come back into focus, and by that time, Allen had long since left in a fury, and the guards had returned.

His hands were clenching into fists when he finally sat up, a craving to snap that damned knight's bones in half with his bare hands almost overwhelming.  To alleviate it before he got himself in trouble, he seized hold of the nearly full water jug on the bedside table and hurled it at the guards, where it shattered against the wall between them, spraying them with lukewarm water.

For the next several hours, he lay curled up on top of the bedclothes, trying—trying and failing—to keep his enraged tears at bay.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, Dilandau refused to eat, he was so angry.  He had always had an anger problem, but right now he felt ready to burst into flame at any moment.

_How dare he?_ he kept thinking over and over.  _How DARE he?!  She obviously likes being with me!  What's the use of threatening to keep us apart?!_  He slammed his fist down on the neglected breakfast tray, sending the tea flying, soaking the bedspread and his right arm.  He shook his arm off in disgust and jumped off the bed.  He glared at the guards, who didn't even seem to notice he was there.  Unless he was doing something that would hurt himself or someone else—which prompted them to restrain him and call for Allen, as ordered—they seemed to do nothing but stand there until their shift was up and replacements arrived.

_Damned fence posts_, he thought vehemently at them, as if he they could hear him.  He walked out onto the small balcony and leaned against the railing.  He looked across the courtyard.  He could see Celena's room from here, but he couldn't see inside.  Even when the curtains were open, the window was at such and angle to his position that it was always reflecting the daylight too much for him to see anything.

_Celena_, he thought, his expression melting into sadness.  It wasn't like he couldn't see her, but it was only under the supervision of a certain Knight Caeli.  _I'd do anything to bring us together._  A sudden thought occurred to him, and he slowly straightened up.  _Together…_  He looked toward Celena's window, and a sudden resolve gripped him.  He would tell her he loved her if it killed him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When a maid came by to deliver the lunch tray, she and the outside guards found the two inside guards unconscious, tied to the bedposts with the bedsheet and gagged with the pillowcases.  Dilandau was nowhere in sight.  Instead of going to Celena to tell her it was time to eat, the maid ran frantically for Allen.  The blond knight was furious, and headed straight for Celena's room, three guards in tow.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dilandau carefully lowered himself down the sculpted wall from the roof down to Celena's window, thanking his lucky stars for the nimbleness to be able to do it without much difficulty.  He had waited a few hours after his decision to tell Celena of his love, then feigned sudden sickness, drawing the guards to him.  They had both bent over him as he lay groaning on the floor, clutching his midsection like he was about to vomit, and one was just about to go find a doctor when he reached up, grabbed them both by the hair, and bashed their heads together.  He had laughed as he did it.  It was just too easy.  After tying them to the bedposts and gagging them, he had climbed up from the balcony to the roof, and had proceeded to work his way around the edge of the courtyard toward Celena's window.

He dropped down onto the balcony outside her room, and peered in.  Ah, she was there, and she was alone.  What luck!

He knocked tentatively on the mostly glass door.  She looked up from the fishtank, where she had been watching fish of all colors and shapes flit back and forth, and her eyes lit up.  She fairly ran to the door, flung it open, and threw her arms around him.

"Dilandau!" she squealed.  "I missed you so much!"

"SHH!" he shushed her frantically.  There were guards stationed at regular intervals along the hallway outside, and he didn't want to risk them hearing.  After she tugged him inside, he shut the door and pulled the cord that made the curtains fall into place.

"Dilandau…?" she asked as he walked over to her door and locked it.  "What's wrong?"

"I have something to tell you," he answered, "and I don't want that fool of a brother of yours interfering."

Celena looked down at the words "fool of a brother".  She was unhappy Allen had not let her see Dilandau the last couple of days.  They had shared the same body for so long, that his mere presence comforted her.  She didn't seem so lonely when he was around.  But, she was as fond of Allen as he was of her.

Dilandau walked to the center of the room and stopped, looking unsure of himself.  She didn't like that look on his face, as it didn't seem to belong there at all.  She closed the distance between them.  "Dilandau?"

He looked down into her blue eyes, and a sudden urge to protect her from all things harmful washed through him.  "C-Celena!" he cried, pulling her to him in a hard embrace that had a heartbreaking desperation to it.  Her ear was pressed up against his chest, and she could hear his hitched breathing and his frantic heartbeat.  She returned his embrace, though slowly.

"Celena…Celena…" he murmured into her hair, sounding oddly like he was about to cry.  "I love…I love you…"

She gasped.  "Dilandau!"

"I love you!" he said again, louder.  "I've wanted nothing more than to be with you, to give you happiness, but that damned Allen won't even let me near you without us being watched at all times!  I just…I just…"  He broke off, sliding down to his knees, so his arms were wrapped around her waist, his head resting against her abdomen.

They stayed like that for several minutes, neither making a sound as Dilandau knelt there and Celena gently stroked his hair.

He stood silently, and took hold of her shoulders, looking directly into her eyes.  "Celena, I need to know something."

"Y-yes?" she replied.

"Do you love me?"

She froze, her tongue suddenly tied.  She didn't know _what_ to say to that.

"Just say one word, and I'll have my answer," he whispered, his lips ever so close to her ear.  "If you don't, then I'll pursue this no further."

They stood there, not making a sound, for what seemed like eternity, until she finally looked back up into his eyes and said…

"Yes."

Immense joy sparkled in his red eyes.  "Celena," he whispered, feeling drawn-in to kiss her…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Allen speeded down the hallway toward Celena's room.  Dilandau had just been threatened with not seeing Celena again, and now he's turned up missing.  A lump formed in his throat when he had first thought of Dilandau in Celena's bedroom with her.

When he got to her door, he almost brained himself as he threw himself against it, intending for it to swing open, and it stayed firm.  It was locked.

"Help me kick the door open!" he ordered the three guards with him, and the door almost burst off its hinges from their combined force.  "Celena!" Allen called when he leapt into the room.

The sight that met him froze him in his tracks.  Celena was in there, all right, but so was Dilandau, as Allen had dreaded.  The two were standing near the middle of the room.  Dilandau was gripping her upper arms firmly but gently, and her slender hands were clutching the shirt fabric over his middle back.  They were kissing.  It was not merely a friendly kiss.  It was a kiss between people very much in love.

Dilandau broke this kiss slowly, gently, but did not loosen his hold on her arms as he turned his gaze over to Allen, looking very angry indeed.  Celena looked slightly dazed, her face flushed pink.

"You've just barged in on a very private moment," Dilandau hissed, murder in his eyes.  "How rude."

Those words broke Allen out of his shock.  He launched himself at Dilandau, screaming unintelligibly.  He practically ripped the two apart, pushed Celena back toward the guards, and shoved Dilandau against the wall so hard, he knocked the breath out of him.

"You there!" Allen shouted at the guard nearest Celena.  "Take her somewhere safe!"

"No!" Celena cried.  No, Allen!  DILANDAU…!"  She was practically dragged out the door, as she would not go willingly, and she could be heard screaming down the hallway.

"CELENA!" Dilandau shrieked, struggling madly against Allen's grip, which was soon reinforced by the two other guards.  Dilandau could barely move as he writhed and screamed and snarled almost dog-like at his captors.

Allen clamped a hand around Dilandau's throat, squeezing just hard enough to make it hard to breathe.  Dilandau quieted down and stopped struggling as his lungs started to hurt from lack of oxygen.

"How dare you?" Allen demanded.  "How dare you…you…take advantage of my sister like that!"

"Your sister…?" Dilandau repeated, his voice low and dangerous.  "You think she's yours…only because she is your _sister_?!  You fucking _idiot_!  She's not yours!  She's MINE!"

"W-what?!" Allen choked, absolutely livid.  "She is not yours!"

"Oh, really…?" Dilandau said, his voice getting less and less sane with every minute.  "For ten long years, we shared the same body.  We occupied the same brain.  Two souls cannot be at such close proximity without touching every so often!  We were clearly separated for the most part, but our thoughts mingled every once in a while.  It was all subconscious, neither of us knew we were doing it, but I lent her the strength to stay in the prison of the back of my mind for so long, and what sanity I have I got from her kindness, her innate gentleness.  I _know_ her…she _knows_ me!  We understand each other more than anyone else will _ever_ be able to!"  His voice had taken on a note of despair.  "She is mine…she is mine…_mine_…"

Allen was not impressed.  "You are a cheater," he almost spat.  "You cheated in the war every chance you got, and cheaters are liars.  Why should I trust you?"

The flood of almost apoplectic rage that surged over and through Dilandau practically blinded him in his intensity.  He screamed, the scream so angry and so distorted, it sounded more like a beast's howl than a human cry.  He heaved his slender body away from the wall, breaking the grip of the two guards and threw his full weight against Allen.  His hands gripped Allen's hair hard, twisting the head away at an odd angle, attempting to break his neck.  They fell to the floor, Dilandau on top, and only Allen grabbing hold of Dilandau's lower arms prevented the younger man from getting a better grip and snapping his neck with no problem.

Dilandau let go of Allen and started thrashing as the guards—who had recovered from the shock of Dilandau's outburst—grabbed hold of him again, wrenching him away from Allen, and slamming him on his back against the floor.

Allen stumbled up to his knees and rubbed his neck.  He took one look at the shrieking, writhing Dilandau, took out his sword, and brought the pummel down hard against his left temple.  The screaming and the struggling stopped abruptly, and the tightness in his muscles gradually faded until he was limp against the floor.

"Get a doctor," Allen told one guard.  "He needs to be given a tranquilizer before we do anything else.  I don't want a repeat occurrence."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dilandau lay on his back in his bed, the covers pulled up to his chest.  He was awake, but could do nothing.  A powerful tranquilizer had been shot into his blood, and though he was perfectly aware of his surroundings, he couldn't get his muscles or his vocal cords to cooperate.  His eyelids drooped at half-mast, and his head occasionally lolled from side to side, but no other movement came from his prone form.

"Allen, you are asking a little much," Millerna said.  She was the first person with any medical knowledge the guard had encountered.  "Yes, there is a drug like that, available in a shot, but I would rather not use it, not even on him.  He would be lucid and active, but very docile and very obedient.  It sounds like a good idea, but it would be altering his thoughts.  As a doctor, I am unwilling to do that to anyone, anyone at all."

"Princess," Allen said.  "You didn't see him like he was twenty minutes ago.  He was a monster, a lunatic.  I've never seen him like that before, not even in the heat of battle.  I can't let this come to pass and not do _something_ to prevent it from happening again."

"Well," Millerna said after thinking a moment.  "There are some pills he can take, that I wouldn't mind giving.  They suppress violent urges in the brain, thus making the person's behavior smoother, more persistent.  At the same time, he would be remaining himself, except for he wouldn't be as impulsive as before."

Allen sighed.  "All right.  He'll take those, but if anything like what happened today happens again, I must insist he be given those shots.  I don't care what kind of misgivings as a doctor you have.  He _must_ be contained before he does something we can't fix."

Millerna sighed as well.  "Very well.  You have full charge over him."

_No!_ Dilandau mentally screamed.  _No, no, noooooooooooooo!  Don't do this to me!  Don't make me a prisoner of my own mind!  Oh, Celena…Celena…help me!_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That night…

Dilandau lay curled under the blankets, shivering despite the warm pocket they encased him in.  As soon as the tranquilizer wore off, Allen had given him two red pills and a glass of water.  He wouldn't leave until Dilandau had grudgingly swallowed the pills.  They weren't as bad as Dilandau had feared, and were working like a charm.

Millerna had been right.  The pills made far less difference in his thought patterns than the drug Allen had at first wanted to give him.  In fact, he felt more at peace with his own mind, but that wasn't what had him so upset.

Despite the drug he was being given, Allen had made good on his threat to totally cut off all contact between Celena and Dilandau.  Not only that, but Dilandau was confined entirely to his room.  His entire world had suddenly shrunk down to just four walls.

_I really am a prisoner now_, he thought miserably, tears tracking slowly down his white cheeks.  He curled up tighter.  _I'm so alone…alone…all my life, alone.  Even…even before they died._  Images of his Dragon Slayers filled his mind, so painfully vivid.  _Sh-Shesta…Gatty…Dallet…Miguel…Viole…everyone…why?!  Why did you have to leave me?!_  Sudden, horribly real memories of their dying screams, their terror-stricken cries for help flooded his mind.  He clamped his hands over his ears and whined.  Three years had done nothing to dull the pain, nothing to make it more bearable.  He began thrashing in a half-seizure as the images and sounds pulled him down, down, down a slippery slope, until he finally crashed at the bottom, his entire body going slack as he blacked out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It had been a month since Millerna had agreed to give Allen medicine to give to Dilandau to calm his violent mind.  He had stayed locked in that room for a month, becoming less and less active every day.  He was beginning to wonder if the gods were doing this to him simply out of spite.  They probably were.

He hadn't even wanted to try to escape the guards since put on the pills.  That was the effect of the drug.  He was outraged over it, but he could do nothing.  Allen came into his room each morning, and stayed until Dilandau obediently swallowed the pills.  The knight's presence had gotten so annoying, that Dilandau was taking the pills with no hesitation now, just to get him to leave.

What Allen didn't know was that, immediately after he left, Dilandau had been running into the small bathroom that branched off from the room, and shutting himself in.  There, he had hidden a spoon from breakfast one morning.  He jammed the handle of the spoon down his throat, triggering his gag reflex, causing him to vomit up the pills into the toilet.  It was a simple matter of sending them down the drain to get rid of them after that.  Dilandau had been doing this for a week now, as without the pills, he had his motivation to escape back.  He intended to break out of here.  He refused to be a prisoner any longer.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

One night, the guards stationed in Dilandau's room were startled to hear a sudden scream come from the young man on the bed, who had just seconds ago been sleeping quietly.  They saw him bolt upright, clutching his side over his appendix.  He tumbled out of bed and lay on the floor, jerking and twisting as if in intense pain.  He was screaming, his cries choked.  There was very little doubt.  He had come down with sudden appendicitis.

Reflexively, the guards rushed over to him, as if to see if their conclusion was correct, even though appendicitis couldn't be diagnosed from any external examination.

As soon as they lay hold of him, he stopped moving completely, deadly silent.  When the guards looked at each other, completely puzzled, a low chuckle made its way from Dilandau's throat.

"It's amazing how gullible people can be," Dilandau whispered, satisfied.  He reached up and put these guards out of commission much like he had the first couple of guards he had knocked out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Allen bit back a small yawn as he walked down the hallway.  He was on his way Dilandau's room to give him his pills.  Early in the morning, as always.

"Commander!" he heard someone call.  He turned around and saw Gadeth jog up to him.

"What is it?" Allen asked.

"One of the night watchmen told me he saw two people exiting the palace very early this morning," Gadeth replied.  "They were both wearing cloaks that covered them from head to toe, and the shorter one was leading a horse.  They were too far away for him to call to, but he told me.  I thought you'd want to know."

Allen stared at him, cold dread settling in his stomach.  "Go check on Celena," he said, starting to back down the hallway as if anxious to get somewhere.  "Make sure she's all right."

"What?" Gadeth asked.  This was hardly what he expected Allen to say first.

"Just GO!" Allen shouted, then bolted down the hallway.  He didn't stay to see if Gadeth followed his command.  His only thought was to get to Dilandau's room.  He was running so fast, the water sloshed out of the cup and spilled on the floor.  He clenched his fist around the pills hard enough to crack them.

He flung open the doors when he got there, startling the sleepy guards that were on either side.  He immediately dropped the water cup and the pill fragments.

Dilandau was gone.  The bed was messy, showing that he was in it at least part of the night, but the unconscious guards on the floor only proved Allen's worst fear.

He tore down the hallway toward Celena's room, almost crashing into Gadeth as they both rounded a corner, going opposite ways.

"Celena!" Allen gasped.  "Where's Celena?!"

"She's not in her room—"

That was all Allen had to hear before he was running toward the melef hanger.  Moments later, he was in his guymelef heading in the direction the night watchman said he saw the people going.  At a full run, a guymelef was faster than any horse.

_Celena_, he thought, angry tears burning his eyes.  _How DARE you do this, Dilandau?!  I'll rip out your heart and feed it to the wolves for this!_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dilandau rubbed his forehead where he had banged it on a branch a while back.  He was glad Celena had suggested her getting one of the horses from the stables.  The horses trusted her, so there was no difficulty.  There was no way they'd be able to cover this much ground on foot by now.

Right now, the horse was walking through a slightly wooded area.  It had just had a rest, and Dilandau didn't want to make it run again so soon.  No sense killing the animal by pushing it too hard.

One arm was held before him, holding the reigns loosely.  The other was curled tightly around Celena's waist.  She was sitting in front of him, dozing, leaning back against his chest.

It was only a matter of time before Allen started looking for them.  No doubt he would notice both Dilandau and his sister missing.  Dilandau's only hope was that Allen would start looking in the wrong direction, allowing them at least to get to a kingdom far enough away where they could safely hide.

He squeezed Celena's waist slightly.  _Oh, my love…this may be the only chance we have to be together._

A faint sound reached his ears.  At first, he didn't notice it, writing it off as another sound of the wild.  As it got louder, though, he started to recognize it…years on the battlefield ensured he would never forget that sound.

A guymelef was approaching.

"No…" Dilandau whispered, incredulous.  He risked a glance behind him and saw, though the trees, the thing he wanted to see least in the world right now.

Allen's guymelef.

"SHIT!" he cursed viciously, awakening Celena.  "HOW could that bastard find us so quickly?!"

He spurred the horse, making it bolt, steering it into a thicker part of the wood, hoping they could hide.  He stopped the horse under a particularly large tree and jumped off, pulling Celena down with him.  They huddled against the roots, trying to get as small as they could.  The horse nervously backed away from the sounds of the approaching fighting machine.

"Dilandau," Celena whispered, almost in tears.  "He's going to separate us again!"

"Never," Dilandau replied vehemently.  "Not if I can help i—"  He was suddenly cut off by the sound of cracking and tearing wood.  The tree was being pulled down.

Dilandau flung both himself and Celena forward.  She landed on her back, him on top of her, shielding her from any debris from the tree.  She was reminded how he had woken her up last night.  She had heard his voice in a dream, repeating her name over and over again, until she woke up and realized he really was whispering her name in her ear.  He had been lying on top of her, his arms locked tight around her, tears streaming down his face in his happiness to see her again…

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Dilandau's warm weight was suddenly gone.  Allen had gotten out of his guymelef, grabbed Dilandau by the collar, flung him on his back on the ground, and was now straddling his chest, hands locked around his throat.

"You…" Allen bit out.  "You…evil…terrible…monstrous…!"  His anger was so great, he couldn't even talk straight.  Dilandau could only choke in reply.  The stronger man's hands were compressing his windpipe and his two major blood vessels almost closed.  He clawed at the fingers clamped so furiously around his neck, but to no relief.  Black spots started imposing themselves in his vision…

Allen suddenly let go, his hands flying up to the side of his head.  Celena had thrown a stone at him, catching him hard in the temple.  Allen toppled to the side as she shoved him off Dilandau, who was gasping, clutching his bruised throat, his lungs starved for air and his brain starved for blood.

Celena bent over Dilandau, cooing softly, pulling him into a protective embrace.  He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, burying his face in her midriff.  His body was shaking with silent, violent sobs.

"Celena!" Allen cried, a thin stream of blood trickling down his face from where the stone had hit him.  He was horrified at the gentleness his sister was showing that…that…_creature_.

"How could you do this to him?" Celena asked, silencing him.  She sounded on the verge of tears.  "Y-you've always been strict with him.  I knew you didn't trust him one bit, even though I trusted him with all my heart.  He's been the nicest anyone's ever been to me.  I know of his past, I know of his problems, but I trust him just the same.  He's always treated me so kindly."  She glared at him, the look unsettling on her normally gentle face.  "And, now that we've come to _love_ each other, you've become this awful, terrible, _evil_ person!"

"Celena," Allen replied weakly.  "You _love_—"

"YES!" Celena practically screamed.  "He never took advantage of me!  He never did anything I didn't want!  I returned his feelings completely!  That one kiss we shared before you locked him up was as much my idea as his!  And, yet, you're treating him as if he tried to _rape_ me!"

"Celena," Allen murmured, not knowing what else to say.

"P-please," came a soft whimper from Dilandau.  "D-don't take her away.  D-don't separate us again.  She's the only one who understands me…the only one who's ever truly cared for me…!"  His last word drew out into a keening wail as he dissolved into sobs again.  Dilandau Albatou, mighty guymelef warrior and feared Dragon Slayer General, was reduced to helpless tears over the prospect of losing the girl he loved.  The concept was almost sickening.

Allen shaded his eyes with his hand.  He didn't dislike Dilandau, he _hated_ him.  He had almost single-handedly laid waste to numerous kingdoms, burning and flattening anything that stood in his way as he hunted the White Dragon, Escaflowne, killing any and all who were unfortunate enough to be caught in his brutal attacks.  Such crimes were too great for Allen to easily forgive.  But, his dear sister had declared that she loved the lunatic albino.  Really, truly _loved_ him…

After several long, agonizing minutes struggling with his own feelings and his desire to make his sister happy, the only sounds besides the birds and small animals that inhabited the trees being Dilandau's pitiful weeping, Allen opened his lips and almost croaked out his decision, as if saying it hurt him.  "Come on…we have to get back."

"Brother…?" Celena asked, not quite sure what he meant.  Dilandau looked up at Allen, trepidation in his eyes.

"You have my blessing," Allen rasped.  He walked over to the guymelef.  "Come on.  Your horse ran away.  I'll carry you two."  He would not look at them.

"Allen!" Celena almost screeched, overjoyed, her face splitting into a grin.  She jumped up with such force that she hauled the taller, heavier Dilandau to his feet as well.

"Th-thank the gods…" Dilandau murmured, swaying from the sudden change in orientation.  He suddenly fell back down to the ground with a muffled thud as the previous sleepless night and the severe emotional strain of the past several weeks finally caught up to him.  He fainted dead away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He opened his eyes to a familiar sight:  the ceiling above his bed.  Something was different than normal, but in his half-awake state, he couldn't put his finger on it.

He sensed movement against him and came fully awake with a jolt.  Celena was curled up beside him, adding her warmth to the warmth of the bedding, a serene smile on her angelic face.

"C-Celena…" Dilandau moaned.  He turned toward her and wrapped his arms around her slender form, practically crushing her to him as he buried his face in her shoulder, breathing deep her sweet smell.

She squirmed.  "Mmnnn…Dilandau…?" she yawned sleepily.

"Shhh," he soothed.  "Go back to sleep, Love."

She sighed softly and did just that.

Dilandau felt hot tears fall from his ruby eyes, soaking into the fabric draped across her shoulder.  Finally…finally…_finally_, he would no longer be alone…

Owari 

**Author's Notes:**  Yeesh…it took me a whole _day_ to write this.  I SO hope you guys like this!  There're just two things I need to mention.  One:  the toilet.  I don't remember seeing any type of bathrooms in _Escaflowne_, but I figured if they can make melef technology, they could make a modern toilet.  Two:  Allen.  I am so sorry, Allen fans, for making him such a galaxy-class jerk in this.  I really do like him, but I see him very, VERY opposed to a romance between Celena and Dilandau.  Why?  I don't know.  I just do.  Please forgive me, Allen fans! ^_^;;  In any case, please tell me what you think of this!  I worked really hard on this, threw away a whole day, and wore out my poor fingers just to bring this to you!  Tell me what you think in a review or an email to mangareader@hotmail.com, onegai shimasu!


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